Audition Advice: Gotten And Given

('Gotten' never feels like a real word to me, but I guess it is.)

I receive acting newsletters via email which are filtered into an acting folder.  Skimming the batch yesterday, a piece about monologue auditions caught my eye.

It described how actors tend to “do too much” in their monologue auditions.  They want to show their range by picking pieces to display that, or perhaps try to squeeze a range into what is, otherwise, very straightforward writing.  The article also mentions how, all too often, women’s monologues somehow involve their character “suffering” (the author notes that this is more a symptom of the dearth of options and not most actresses wants), which is just not fun to watch, nor is it the best introduction you can make for yourself.

And, you know what?  I have to echo Paula Deen’s words when she announced on camera that she deep fries her bacon: “Guilty!”  (God, that woman’s cooking cracks me up – and makes me want to wash my arteries with Clorox.)

Damn.  And I loved that monologue, too.  But, yeah, it is about a woman standing up for herself because some guy has been unfair to her.

Luckily, a friend with some very excellent taste mentioned to me last year that she had seen a great monologue on a TV show (which she had on DVD), and generously transcribed it for me.  And it is NOT about a woman suffering.  Amen.

So I am using it.  And so far it has felt wonderful.  We’ll have to see how it goes when I air it publicly for the first time this Saturday, but for now it feels good.  Elegant.  Simple.  Like it fits into my back pocket just right.

Also, today a friend called to ask my opinion on something.  She’s been told often by various CDs she has met, that she would be great for a particular role on Broadway.  And there is an open call for the role this week – BUT, she is two inches taller than what the breakdown asks for. 

I told her that unless there was something else she had to do that day, she should definitely wear her flattest flats and GO.  If they think she’s too tall, maybe they’ll type her out.  And if they don’t, and she gets into the room and then they say, “You’re too tall”, she can simply explain that she came on the advice of other directors who have seen her work and encouraged her to attend.  Then keep a smile on your face and say a polite 'thank you' as they either let you audition anyway or ask you to spare their time.

You definitely won’t get cast if you don’t attend.  That’s all I can say.

Happy auditioning.

--Susan Atwood

Comments

[JimTodd]

So true. WAY too many actors think acting is about hysterics on every line.

The actor who goes in with a SIMPLE monologue is the winner. The actor who plays with simplicity wins.

Put yourself in a casting director's shoes. Wouldn't it be a relief and a joy to see somebody audition who was not pushing, not forcing, not trying for "intense" drama?

No wonder so many of them ask for "light comic" monologues. They don't want to see that other shit. It's not real, anyway.

Great topic!